Apparatus for visibly vending liquids



W. D. McKELLAR.

APPARATUS FOR VI'SIBLY VENDING LIQUIDS. I

V APPUCATION FILED 00115, 1917.

1,377,085. mammal a 3,'192 1.

/// I amnmt oz E7551 ya A UNITED A STATES PATENT oF lca.

WILLIAM DOUGLAS MGKELLAR, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

APPARATUS ron VISIB LY VENDING mourns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed October 15, 1917. Serial No. 196,666.

this nature that is certain in operation and of such form that it can be manufactured at I less cost than the usual device used for this purpose. Another important object of the present improvement is to provide a liquid dispensing apparatus in which the purchaser is enabled to see the actual quantity of liquid purchased so that he is assured of the proper quality and quantity. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a pump which will insure a purchaser the correct amount of the liquid by preventing the not infrequent short delivery which is usually caused by leaks in the valves or piping; formation of vapor due to excessive suction li-ft',.or the introduction of air under the piston; .failure to correct for the inertia of a long columnof moving liquid; short stroking or operation of the pump at less than the full stroke (usually deliberate) or slippage past the valves and plstons.

With these and other objects in view which will appear from the ensuing des'cription, the invention consists in certain I of Fig. 1.

novel combinations, arrangements and construction of parts as pointed out in the claim at the end of the specification.

Reference is now made to the'accompanying drawings which illustrate the structural embodiment of the invention in its approved form, and in which.

Figure 1 is a side'elevation of the device, partly in section, and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 Like characters of reference in the several figures indicate the samearts.

The dispensing device orming the subject matter of this application is mounted drawings, forming a part of this.

on a stand or support consisting of a light framework of metal strips 1, or it may take the form of the usual pedestal, if desired, and is supplied from a tank 2 buried beneath the ground in order to satisfy the law of most localities, by means of a pump 3 of any desired type which delivers the gasolene or other liquid through a supply pipe 4 to the measuring device which consists of a transparent'open-ended cylindrical receptacle 5 mounted centrally of a base 6 supported by the framework 1. Thebase is sloped inwardly centrally of the receptacle 5 to an orifice 6 in which is secured a discharge pipe 7 provided with the usual cut-ofi' valve 8- and flexible pipe 9. The supply pipe is curved downwardly at its upper end and discharges centrally into the open top of the receptacle which is provided with graduations 10, usually denoting gallons and entirely encircling the measuring tank. .The base 6 is provided exteriorly of the receptacle with a drain groove 11 sloping toward an orifice 12 to which is secured a drain pipe 13 leading vertically down to the supply tank 2. A second cylindrical transparent member 14 is secured to the base 6 co-axially with the receptacle 5 and spaced such distance from it as to inclose the drain ing 14 and has lugs 16 pierced with holes 17 cotiperating with holes 18 in lugs 19 of the base to accommodate binding rods 20, which secure the parts together, the rods also serving to lock the strips 1 of the support to the base.

The receptacle position by means of a collar 21 provided with four equi-spaced screw rods 22 whereby he inner cylinder may be adjusted with respect to the outer casing. The collar is placed quite near the top of the receptacle and serves as a base for a plurality of wire rods 23' which are elevated a certain distance above the top of the inner cylinder for a reason hereinafter explained. At the extremity of these rods 23 a ring 24 is secured, the ring bein of such size as not to interfere with the dlscharge of liquid from the pipe 4. A float 25 is provided, preferably colored, and of a size closely approximating the inner dimensions of the interior cross section of the receptacle, so that the purchaser of the liquid may sit or stand at some distance from the measurer and see 5 is held in exact vertical 4 float will ride on top of the 1i uid and will rise and fall as the tank is lled or discharged, thereby making the vending more visible at a distance owing to the float registering with the measured graduations of the cylinder which, as stated, completely encircle the same. The rods 23 are provided to keep this float from being thrown over the top of the measuring cylinder when the latter is filled and the distance that these rods extend above the top of the cylinder is equal to the thickness of the float.

In order to have the measuring tank free from liquid, when not in use, there is provided a by-pass 25 with a valve 26 to permit of the draining of the liquid from the measuring cylinder down through the drain pipe 13 to the storage'tank 2.

he operation of the device is as follows: With the valves 8 and 26 closed,'electric or other energy is supplied tothe pump 3 which fills the measuring tank to its extreme capacity, the surplus liquid spilling over the sides into the space between the two transparent members and draining back into the tank b way of the groove 11 and the pipe 13. he current is then turned ofi and the contents of the inner receptacle conveyed to the tank of the purchaser through the discharge pipe 9. Should the customer require less than gallons,.the contents of the tank are withdrawn down vto I the proper indicated quantity by controlling the'valve 8. Since the liquid is measured 1n full sight of the purchaser, even though seated in his car at a distance from the servicestation,'he is assured of the correct amount going into his tank: The base is located at such distance from the ground as to be convenient and toprovide the necessary drop for discharging the ,fluid= by gravity to the automobile tank.

WVhat is claimed is:

In combination, a transparent open-topped graduated receptacle,-an outer transparent casing spaced from and extending, above said receptacle, a single base closing-the bottom of each of said transparent-members, and provided with two discharge orifices, one leading from said receptacle, and the other from the space between said transparent members, a source of liquid supply, means for withdrawing liquid from such source and delivering it to saidreceptacle,

- a pipe leading from the orificein said space to said source, a valved discharge means from the other orifice, and a valved by-pass between the discharge means and the pipe.

WILLIAM DOUGLAS MoKELLAR. 

